, 1887-06-18

of the fair visitor to Court, for is she not a
central heroine with q family and friendly
audience?
A more brilliant crowd could not be ina
gined than that to be seen in the various
ante-rooms at Buckingham Palace previous
to a Drawing Room. Magnificent embroide-
ries, rich bocades, rare lace, soft feathers,
f~nejewels, and exquisite flowers go to make up
the dresses which are to pass before the eyes
of the Sovereign or her illustrious representa- T
tive. The sight is SO bright and multicolour- s
ed that it is long before the eye can single
out particular gowns for special comment.
Yesterday white was the prevailing tone, serv.
ing the better to show up the colours worn
by the minority. The Countess of Bandon's
dress was a delightful shade of cool grey-green
satin, on which blooms of the horse-chesnut
were scattered. These were in various shades
of pink, and seemed as though they had been
recently plucked from some of the finest trees
in iBushey Park. Fine old Brussels lace was
prettily placed about the skirt. The train
was of brocade, the ground being grey-green, j
with a large floral design scattered over it,
repeating each tint,in the chestnut blossoms.
The deeper. of the two pinks in the flower {
was the colour of the satin used for lining the, /.
train. The lining was brought through and
draped gracefully over the brocade in an, UNI
uSudks OuUS NOI1 OnCSulfO way sTO1llotOAR1. Va Il
chestnut blooms were tied on the. train with
ribbons of three .shades-two pale tints of
pink and one grey-green. The bodice was of
satin. Lady Elphinstone presented her daugh-
ter. Her Cow was of that peculiar grey
satin hike the surface of a mirror, which Is
the effect of white satin shot with black.
This was yelled with Chantilly lace, caught
here and there by lunches of shaded yiolets
tied with mirror grey ribbon. Her train was
of striped black velvet with mirror-grey satin
showing in the middle. Black -Chantilly lace
formed a kind of Court mantle hanging from
each shoulder, and falling gracefully over the.
train. Miss Elphinstone's presentation gown
was the usual beautiful mass of white MILNE
ry with a train of corded silk and trimmings
of natural-looking Guelder roses.
The Countess of Seton wore a dress which
was a charming study in black and white.
The train was white satin; at one side some
rare black Chantilly lace was laid over it, at
the other broad stripes of black velvet were
alternated with stripes, equally broad, ofshim-
mering white satin. Trails of large magnolias
were placed at the end of the train and near
one shoulder. The dress and bodice were of
white satin and lace, with more sprays of
satin-petalled white magnolias. This cos
tune, although neither snowy nor elaborate
was one OF the best and most original at yes
terday's Court. Lady Fltzhardlnge wore a
symphony in dove-grey. Her dress was satin
relieved with insertion of grey Jet, showing
an underskirt of white satin. The slight
draping seemed to be held by cords and tas-
sells of grey Jet. The train was of a dove grey
velvet, lined with satin to match. Mrs.
Adrian Hopes skirt and bodice, woven
throughout of gold and silver thread, would
have looked as though it had belonged to
days ofmedieval splendour only that its glories
were undimmed by time. Her train was of
white velvet, with broad stripes Of satin al
ternating with the soft pile!f Lady Arthur
Butler had a train and bodice Of q very be&u+e
tiful fabric called silver gauze. 1.-The design /.
was scattered well over the surface though J
without crowding. TWAS of unusualcharacter;;is
beingcomposed ofbirds with pearl embroidery
andpearl studded tulle. Mrs. Arthur Sykeslook-
ed charming in a gown of .cream-coloured
satin plentifully draped with lace, and a
train of blue 'brocade, over which lunches of
brown and yellow a~uriculas were scattered as
q design. Some exquisite lace was laid over
one side, and the whole train was bordered !.
with a series of blue. bows. LadyfGertrude f
Sefton's presentation dress was of crape,w with
a train Of striped velvet andlsatinJ ~softly5bor6a
dered with Grape, like miniature snowsridgessq
white feathers nesting into the folds ofetheis
dress. <fWaSf3 ~ 10
Mrs. Darlington was gowned and trained 7
in % vorxy mole ond decided .ahadn of marina